US congratulates Nigeria at 66 and pledges stronger bilateral ties

The United States has congratulated Nigeria on its 66th Independence Anniversary and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with the country. The US Department of State issued the message through the Office of the Spokesman on Thursday. It said Washington valued its relationship with Nigeria and appreciated the substantive dialogue between the two countries over the past year.

“On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of Nigeria on the 66th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence,” the statement said. The department described Nigeria as Africa’s largest democracy and one of the continent’s largest economies. It added that the country had an important role to play in promoting regional stability and economic growth.

“The United States is proud to stand alongside Nigeria in pursuit of these common goals,” the statement said. Washington said the two countries shared commitments to democratic principles, religious freedom, commercial relations, peace and security. It said these priorities formed the basis for continued progress in the relationship.

The US government also expressed hope that Nigeria would experience continued peace, unity and prosperity. “May this proud nation and its people thrive in peace, unity, prosperity, and hope for generations to come,” it said. The message comes as Nigerian institutions and political figures mark the anniversary with calls for national progress.

The supplied statement did not announce new agreements or specific initiatives, but indicated that the US intends to maintain engagement with Nigeria around the shared priorities it identified.